Argen Duncan: Portales News-Tribune Brian Clark Jr. waits for a trailer to fill with peanuts Wednesday at Portales Select Peanut Company Inc. The machine separates dirt and debris from the nuts, which are then sent to be dried or, in this case, graded. Argen Duncan The peanut harvest this year has brought in higher-than-normal yields […]

Freedom New Mexico: Argen Duncan Dairy Farmers of America President and CEO Rick Smith gives an update on DFA and the dairy industry at the DFA Southwest Area Industry Update Meeting on Wednesday in Clovis. The meeting aimed to give people involved in the dairy industry information about where the industry is headed and help […]

Jared Tucker: Portales News-Tribune Junior Jasso, a truck driver for Lieb Farms, waits for his truck to be filled with fresh-harvested grain sorghum Wednesday. The owners of the farm, Randy and Diane Lieb, plan to spend their 39th wedding anniversary harvesting this year’s record crop. Jared Tucker What’s the best way to spend your 39th […]

Freedom New Mexico: Argen Duncan Floyd farmer Allen Deen shows dryland cotton plants in his field along N.M. 267. This year is his first to grow cotton in 31 years of farming, and he said the crop and price look like they will be excellent. Argen Duncan Roosevelt and Curry counties have much more cotton […]

Glenda Price My friend and I were strolling through the local farmers’ market one day, when she suddenly began talking. I tried to answer her, even though I really didn’t know what she was talking about. This went on a few minutes — her talking, then me talking — when she finally turned toward me […]

Argen Duncan A team roping event set for October aims to honor a Curry County farmer, benefit children and raise money for agriculture advocacy. The inaugural Charles Petty Memorial Team Roping Event is to raise money for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, a lobby group for farmers and ranchers, and the New Mexico Baptist Children’s […]

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today reported that legislation moving through Congress contains more than $36 million to help New Mexico farmers and ranchers, and to preserve New Mexico’s natural resources.

By Argen Duncan: Freedom New Mexico Area wheat farmers are expecting an above-average harvest this year, if they haven’t seen it already. Rick Ledbetter, who farms near Portales, said he and his neighbors have finished harvesting wheat to use the plant for silage and hay. Farmers growing wheat for grain expect to harvest in June. […]

The Associated Press CLOVIS — Farmers’ Electric Cooperative of Clovis is receiving a $28.1 million loan to upgrade its electric delivery system for seven counties in eastern New Mexico and three in Texas. The cooperative will use the money to expand service to current customers and extend service to new customers. It also will replace […]

Freedom New Mexico Roosevelt and Quay are among six New Mexico counties declared eligible for disaster assistance Thursday due to continuing drought. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., announced eligibility due to their proximity to Texas counties, which were declared disaster areas. Farmers and ranchers in Dona Ana, Eddy, Lea, Otero, Quay, and Roosevelt counties are now […]

CNJ staff The board of directors of Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. elected Clovis dairy farmer Wayne Palla as its first vice chairman. Palla has previously served as vice chair of DFA’s Board. He also is a member of DFA’s Executive Committee and chair of the Southwest Area Council. Palla is on the National Milk […]

File photo Agendas for the Portales City Council and the Roosevelt and Curry County commissions include a resolution opposing proposed regulations for maintaining groundwater quality under dairies. A trio of governmental bodies meeting today are set to consider opposing proposed state regulations that some dairy farmers say will drive them out of business. But state […]

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo Farwell’s Ryan Williams was named one of four National Outstanding Young Farms by The United States Junior Chamber. Ryan Williams of Farwell was chosen as one of four National Outstanding Young Farmers by The United States Junior Chamber. Williams is the fourth generation to farm his family’s land in Farwell. […]

Freedom New Mexico: Chris Schmaedeke Tucumcari farmer Jack Smith shows how much snow he still has on his field. Smith believes all the snow should help this harvest season. By Chris Schmaedeke: Freedom New Mexico Area farmers may not be seeing the benefits of a wet winter now, but they will in a few weeks, […]

CLOVIS, N.M. — How does a grower take advantage of direct marketing at a farmers’ market? That question and many more will be answered at a free workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at 818 Main Street, Clovis. The event is sponsored by the NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, the New Mexico […]

By Staci Matlock: The New Mexican A group of New Mexico farmers and heritage seed advocates are lobbying hard to get a bill through the Legislature that would protect them from liability if their fields are cross-pollinated by patented, genetically engineered seeds. It is the third time farmers have tried to get a similar bill […]

Member Services Farmers’ Electric Cooperative Re: Power Outages Accumulated ice and winds caused outages in and around the Clovis area within Farmers’ Electric Cooperative’s (FEC) service area. Members reported the first outages at approximately 6:00 a.m. Thursday. FEC crews responding to the outages reported several poles down and numerous broken cross-arms and insulators.

File photo Farmers in Quay County were forced to cut back even further on water last year because of low levels of Conchas Lake. By Thomas Garcia: Freedom New Mexico Area farmers are having to deal with water restraints limiting them to seasonal crops or even preventing them from planting crops. In Curry and Roosevelt […]

By Chris Schmaedeke: Freedom New Mexico Unusually cold temperatures haven’t yet affected winter crops in Quay, Curry and Roosevelt counties. But area farmers are concerned it could cause a problem if the trend continues through spring During the month of December, the average high temperature in Quay, Curry and Roosevelt counties are anywhere from 52 […]

By Chris Schmaedeke: Freedom New Mexico It mattered where the location was for this year’s harvest in Quay, Curry and Roosevelt counties. All three counties saw ups and downs this year. The word used most to describe the harvest was “spotty.” Quay County struggled with lack of water and dry conditions. “Farmers had very little […]